


Miscalculation

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Drabblers one shots IR [6]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Drama, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Humor, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-09
Updated: 2015-10-05
Packaged: 2018-04-19 13:50:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4748732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rukia planted her elbows on the table and steepled her fingers.<br/>“I want my brother to think we’re dating so I can get him off my back.”<br/>Ichigo scoffed at her.<br/>“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Best Laid Plans...

Rukia stared at the folder innocently lying in wait on her desk. Her eyes grew cold, her expression blank.

She didn’t have to open the damn thing to know what was inside; his brother had been beating around the bush for weeks now, and it seemed he had finally made his move.

Rukia gritted her teeth. She strode over to the desk and tossed the folder into the bin. She wouldn’t open it; she wouldn’t look at any profiles or photos, because she sure as hell wouldn’t be attending any _omiai_!

Her brother could nag at her until he lost his voice, but since she was only 21 and her studies at the university were still incomplete, Rukia had no intention to marry.

She left the room and walked down the hall to join her brother for breakfast.

They ate in silence, and Rukia almost started hoping that he wouldn’t bring up the subject, but then…

“What did you think about the match?”

Rukia paused, her chopsticks hovering in mid-air.

“I didn’t think anything of it,” she replied as she resumed her eating. “I threw it away.”

Her brother’s eyes narrowed.

“Do you even realise what it took in order to set this match with Shihouin?”

“Wait, Shihouin?” Rukia gaped at her brother. “You were trying to set me up with Yuushirou?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t he still in high school?”

Her brother’s shoulders stiffened.

“He is graduating next spring and he is the heir of the family,” he said in a monotonous voice.

Rukia groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. She felt the weight of her brother’s gaze on her, and looked up to see a crease forming on his brow. He set down his chopsticks.

“Why are you so opposed to this?”

He didn’t sound berating or demanding, in fact her brother sounded genuinely puzzled.

He was frowning at her, this man who himself had defied tradition by marrying out of love, and the lie came to Rukia in an instant.

She lowered her gaze, looking down at her bowl of rice as her lips twisted.

“I’m seeing someone,” she confessed in a small voice.

The silence stretched and she tried to fidget a little under his long stare, to appear more genuine.

Finally, her brother spoke.

“I will meet him,” he told her. “You will bring him here tonight.”

Rukia’s gaze flitted to him, but realised that there was no room for arguments.

“Yes, nii-sama,” she said.

 

* * *

 

 

By lunchtime, a plan had already formed in Rukia’s mind. Her brother couldn’t oppose her dating as long as he believed her to be in love, not after he himself had upset his elders by choosing Hisana. Still, nii-sama was very proud; he would not welcome just anyone into the Kuchiki family. So if Rukia played her cards right, and found someone her brother would definitely not approve of, he would be forced to drop all talk of marriage. He would have to allow the relationship, while hoping that it would eventually run its course.

She hummed as she carried the tray, feeling very satisfied with both herself and her plan. She scanned the cafeteria for free seats, when something caught her eye and gave her pause. A slow grin spread to her lips. _Perfect_.

She made a beeline to the corner table.

“Ichigo,” she said in the way of greeting as she sat down. The young man with wild orange hair scowled at her, and she didn’t blame him, they weren’t exactly friends, though he was her _kouhai_ in the kendo club.

“Rukia,” he shot back at her.

Rukia picked up her chopsticks and then cleared her throat.

“You’re coming to dinner at my house tonight,” she informed him.

He gaped at her.

“Oh yeah?” he challenged. “Why?”

“Because we’re dating,” she told him matter-of-factly, her eyes alight with mirth.

He sputtered, almost choking on his chicken. Finally, after a moment spent coughing and wheezing, he managed to speak again.

“What?” he demanded incredulously, his cheeks still slightly flushed.

Rukia planted her elbows on the table and steepled her fingers.

“I want my brother to think we’re dating so I can get him off my back.”

He scoffed at her.

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

“No, my brother setting me an _omiai_ with a high school student is the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever heard.”

His brows rose.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously. I don’t want to get married, so please be my boyfriend.”

His scowl returned in full force and he squirmed. Really, it was almost adorable how uncomfortable he seemed.

“I’m sure it’s benefit you as well,” Rukia continued, “all sorts of doors will open for those affiliated with the Kuchiki. And we can also discuss some kind of compensation –“

“No need,” he cut in, sounding annoyed.

Rukia pursed her lips.

“Are you sure? I can be quite generous. You should at least consider –“

“I did,” he told her bluntly. “And you can keep your compensation.”

Rukia’s eyes flashed.

“Fine,” she said, her voice calm and cold. She set her chopsticks down and rose.

“Sit down,” he snapped at her. “Please,” he added quickly, seeing a dark look cross the petite woman’s face.

Rukia slowly sank back to her seat, her posture as stiff as a board.

Ichigo crossed his arms and determinedly avoided her eyes, choosing to stare at his lunch tray instead.

“I’ll do it,” he finally said, his frown almost a pout. “What time’s dinner?”

 

 


	2. ...Often Go Awry.

“What is it, nii-sama?”

“Is that how you answer your phone, Rukia? It is disrespectful.”

“I’m sorry, nii-sama. What did you want?”

“Did you invite your… boyfriend?”

There was the slightest pause at the other end of the line, and then,

“Yes, I did. He’s coming over to dinner tonight, at seven.”

“Good.”

“Was that all? Because I have this homework assignment…”

“Tell me about him.”

“What?”

“Tell me about this young man of yours.”

His sister snorted.

“Why do you ask? You’re going to meet him in a few hours anyway and I know you’re going to put on a full interrogation.”

Byakuya ground his teeth. It was true that he had his share of questions to present to this young man Rukia was seeing, but there was no need to put it quite that crudely.

“You know that I like to be prepared, Rukia. If you do not want to tell me about him, that is fine, but at least tell me his name.”

“… Kurosaki Ichigo.”

“Thank you. I am looking forward to meeting him.”

“I’m sure you are.”

“I shall see you at seven.”

“See you, nii-sama.”

 

* * *

 

 

Rukia fidgeted a little as she made the introductions. Byakuya glared at the young man proffering his hand. First impressions were often deceiving, but the longer he spent in the company of this man his sister was seeing, the stronger his conviction grew.

He did not like this Kurosaki Ichigo. His hair was wild and an obscene colour, and his brows were constantly knit together in this sour look that darkened his face. He was blunt and he was crass. His table manners were appalling and the clothes he had chosen to wear were flashy.

At first they sat at the dinner table, altering between faltering polite conversation and awkward silences, but then Byakuya decided to commence his _interrogation_ , as Rukia had put it.

“What do your parents do?” was the very first question he asked, his sharp eyes studying the young man sitting across the table.

“My father’s a doctor. He has his own small clinic. My mother died when I was little.”

“How did you meet my sister?”

“Rukia’s my senpai in the kendo club.”

Byakuya’s eyebrow quirked. Addressing Rukia so casually, even though she was his elder… Were the two of them already that close, or was this Kurosaki Ichigo just rude?

“You attend the same university as Rukia then?”

Ichigo nodded.

“What subject are you studying?”

“Education,” he replied, in a tone that was almost a challenge.

Byakuya did not comment on his choice of a major, though he was surprised, Ichigo had not really appeared to him as someone who would aspire to be a teacher.

And so it went, back and forth, Byakuya asking his questions and Ichigo providing him the answers without faltering.

Even as he learned to know more about him, Byakuya could not bring himself to like this young man. Yet at the same time, he grudgingly realised that Ichigo was a young man whom, over time, he could learn to respect. He was well aware of how people often found him intimidating and took full advantage of that, but this Kurosaki Ichigo did not balk, did not even appear nervous under his scrutinising glare.

After his phone call with Rukia, Byakuya had run a background check on Ichigo. On paper he had seemed like a diligent young man, his grades had been good, he’d consistently placed in the top 30 of all the students in his year. He had even had a part-time job when he had been in high school.

Though the most interesting little gem of information he had found was the fact that though Kurosaki Ichigo’s father had transferred to his wife’s family registry, he had been born a Shiba. The Shiba family had fallen into a decline in the last decade, but their name was old and still carried some prestige. With all things considered, this unpleasant young man’s blood was much nobler than Hisana’s had ever been.

Granted, he didn’t look particularly noble. At first Byakuya wondered if he had misspelled the name, looked up the wrong person, because this Kurosaki Ichigo looked little better than some street brawler or a delinquent, with that ridiculous hair and silly scowl.

But then, his answers matched the information Byakuya had already dug up.

Perhaps then, there was more to this young man than his crude appearance? After all, Rukia liked him. No matter how discreet the two of them tried to be, he saw the glances passing between them.

And Rukia was a smart woman. Byakuya trusted her judgement.

He frowned in thought.

And then, at last, Rukia put her foot down.

“That’s quite enough, nii-sama,” she said, bringing him out of his thought. Rukia reached to wrap her hand around her boyfriend’s. “Ichigo has indulged you long enough. It’s my turn to ask questions, and I only have one.”

Byakuya met the stern violet eyes of his younger sister and nodded, bidding her to continue.

“What do you think?” she inquired, her gaze steady as it held his. Her body language showed no nervousness, no hesitation.

Only resolution.

Perhaps, Kurosaki Ichigo was not the ideal brother-in-law. Perhaps, Byakuya did not like him.

But that hardly mattered, because he was the one Rukia had chosen.

Really, however he looked at it, there was only one answer he could give the young couple.

“You have my blessing.”


End file.
